POPMARTLeg 1: 1997, North America

Epic Hike

17 December 2010

Epic Hike

Travel day. Sydney to Perth.

Once we€™re done with the shows, I€™m planning on coming back to Sydney to take some time off before heading home. Consequently this means I am essentially going to Perth (a ten-hour round-trip flight) for the weekend. I did have the wherewithal to leave my luggage in Sydney, so at least I can make the trip with just hand luggage, but the return flight will be on a commercial airline, which I€™m sure will feel dreadfully inconvenient after the joys of Air 360.

The flight is a bit of a haul but everyone was in good form so it was easy and pleasant enough. Eat, sleep, read€¦ the usual in-flight pastimes. We got into Perth around 8pm and disembarked into a stunningly beautiful evening. The sky was clear, the air warm, the sun going down, it was a wonderful surprise & bodes well for the shows here. A few drinks were had in the hotel on arrival but, having been cooped up all day, I felt in need of a stroll. My stroll turned into a walk, which turned into something of an epic hike, but it was the right night for being out and about.

It had got to about midnight when I stumbled upon quite a busy strip, lively with Friday night action. I€™d also found my hunger though wasn€™t holding out much hope on the food front. Imagine my surprise then, when I walked past The Moon bar & diner, which was clearly still open. I asked the guy behind the counter if they were still serving and he replied €œkitchen closes at 3.30am, sir.€ Major result. I settled in and enjoyed the lively ambience, had myself a late supper, then hiked back to the hotel.

I did get slightly lost on my way back, but GPS came to the rescue and got me home by way of a riverside walk. Back in my room I saw that it was gone 2am and time for bed. After pottering for a little while I settled in and took my travel clock out of my bag, which, being still on Sydney time, it was happily reading 5.30am. Little wonder I was beginning to flag a little. Still, a very pleasant evening.